Eavestone Lake Walk
The Route
1. With the school on your left and the pub on your right walk through Grantley, a High Grantley to give the village its full title, past the shop/post office and take the lane to the right as the main road bends down to the left. Follow this lane For 100 yards (note the beautiful stone Old Hall down to the left) then take the lane up to the right and follow this out of the village for 1/4 mile. As the road bends sharply to the right lust after Hollin House, take the footpath to the left, Walk straight on to reach a stile, then follow the fence/hedge on your right to cross a stile next to a gate. Bear slightly to the left across the field to reach a stile to the right of the farm buildings marked by a signpost. Turn left and head through the gate ahead marked by a signpost
2. Walk up the field through a gate in a wire fence to reach a stone stile in the top right corner of the field. Follow the fence/wall on your left to reach a farmyard. Pass in front of both houses and cross the stile on the opposite side of the road. Continue straight on across the Field through a wall gap, then bear right to reach a gate near to a small section of stone wall. After the gate, turn left and follow the muddy t track towards the farmhouse. Before the farm take the stile to the left near the metal gate, then continue straight on over the stone stile. Turn right along the track, and take the path to the left as the track bends to the right. Keep close to the wall and cross the stile to reach a lane. Head left along the lane for 200 yd and follow the 'green lane' to the left through a metal gate taking time to admire the wonderful panorama of moor, woodland and the Vale of York.
3. Follow the lane downhill through two wooden gates. After the second wooden gate, follow the wire fence to the right (yellow markers) then drop downhill and follow the unclear track to reach a gate near to a stream. Head left along the river bank, then almost immediately take the footbridge to the right cross the stile, then head right to cross another stile (you are now actually just over the river from the gate). Turn left and follow the path uphill, keeping close to the wall until you reach a 'green lane' which you follow to the left through a gate (yellow markers).
4. Follow this clear track for 3/4 mile past a small lake, until you reach a gate at the road at Eavestone village. Continue along the winding metalled road for 3/4 mile, then follow the footpath to the left through the pinewoods marked by a signpost. The path drops down to Eavestone Lake, over a small bridge, then right through trees. Follow the path along the banks of the lake, then head right at the bottom of the lake to cross a small stone bridge. This lake is an oasis of beauty and a haven for wildlife; the lake is completely hidden from view until you actually walk along its banks. Continue straight on up through the woods along the muddy path to reach a stile
5. Walk left around the perimeter of the field to reach the far left-hand corner then left along the track past a farm and through a gate ahead. Continue along the track for a short distance, then follow the wall down to the left to reach a gate to the left of a farm. On a clear day you can see right across the Vale of York to the White Horse of Kilburn on the flanks of the Hambleton Hills some 25 miles away. Continue straight on across the small field to the next gate then head down to a gate at the bottom of the field and do the same in the next field. Head diagonally right at the next field to reach a stream and a stile to the left of the small wood. Cross the stile and follow the track to the right to reach the main road. Turn left along the road past Grantley Hall for 1/2 mile. As the road bends to the left after Old Home Farm, take the path to the right which heads straight up across the fields, to cross a stile directly opposite the pub.
